On Tuesday, January 31, the first meetup organized by Infoshare this year took place. SolDevelo had a strong representation there, including representatives of various teams and functions (UX, PM, Product Department, Employer Branding). We invite you to read our coverage of the Tech3Camp event!
The event attracted many participants. Taking into account that it was the first gathering of this type after a long break, it is an attendance success and proves that Tech3camp already has its own brand and a well-established audience. Among those present, UX specialists (designers, researchers) and developers were the majority. The agenda consisted of 3 speeches – each addressing a different area of UX.
What was it about? Speeches in a nutshell
The first, by Marta Mielcarek, was devoted to cooperation between designers and developers (“Designers versus developers. How do we work together”). The conclusion that resonated most strongly from the speech was that both groups need to be aware of a common purpose, and be “playing to one goal,” which is supported by a precise definition of the principles of cooperation, as well as the awareness of mutual limitations. The willingness to work together, openness, and good communication are all factors considered crucial to success. In addition, there was a lot of information derived from practice – including tips for using Figma, especially the recently introduced updates. There was also a mention of ironclad principles of cooperation (responsibilities, ways of organizing work, guarantees of fulfillment of promises made to the customer).
The second speech was about the customer journey map (“Customer Journey Map as dynamite in the product). It was given by Krzysztof Miotk, UX researcher and UX consultant, owner of an agency specializing in UX research-based design. Customer Journey Map is one of the most important product artifacts in an organization – it is a map that shows where customer needs can be transformed into product-business realities. Together with the presenter, we went through the process of creating a map of a selected product, starting from the stage when the customer realizes the existence of a specific need, and ending at the product page stage. Tracing this process was also an opportunity to discuss the reasoning behind the creation of the map and the benefits it brings to the entire organization – headed by the possibility of quick and accurate identification of phenomena and situations requiring improvement. The discussion, which arose thanks to questions from the audience, made it possible to direct attention to the best tools used, the most common mistakes made during the creation of maps, as well as the question of who should participate in the creation of a map and why it should be a team made up of different people (e.g. marketers or salespeople) included in the work at different stages of the project.
The third presentation dealt with the topic of neurodiversity, with a particular focus on ADHD, autism spectrum disorder and dyslexia, which affect a large group of adults (“Neurodiversity in the work of UX Researcher”). All the statistics and sources presented by Dominika Bęben, illustrating the specificity of the experience of non-neurotypical people, prove conclusively that that it is necessary and worth remembering about neurominorities when designing digital solutions – it is not only an expression of an ethical approach to the profession, but also an opportunity to obtain more comprehensive, in-depth results that allow you to create truly innovative solutions. Importantly, the presenter focused not only on the neurodiversity that can occur in the individuals undergoing research, but also those who conduct the research. She presented guidelines that can help realize more inclusive research (comfortable for the researchers as well as all participants), sources of comprehensive knowledge, and inspiring people who are promoting knowledge related to the topic of neurodiversity in the technology and UX community.
After each talk, there were numerous questions from the audience, including those gathered online. We particularly appreciated this exchange of thoughts, but also the opportunity to receive tips containing practical solutions to problems we encounter in our daily work – and we even had a certain deficiency of them. Fortunately, however, the conversations could be continued during the networking part, over pizza and beer.
Takeaways from the lecture – our highlights
If I had to sum up Tech3camp in a few words, I would say that it was practical knowledge in a nutshell. Each of the speakers gave interesting examples of applying what they talked about in everyday life. My attention as a UX Designer was caught by the examples of various tools and plugins for Figma I didn’t know before (especially Tokens and Swift Package Exporter), which not only can help me improve my daily work but also facilitate collaboration with developers.
Beata, UX Designer
How important it is to think about the customer and their choices holistically. User journey might be sometimes very complicated and unpredictable so it’s a great challenge to map it. I really enjoyed the explanation of how this process looks like for a specific product and why it might be so crucial for the company.
Dominika, Project Manager
By taking into account the needs of neurodivergent people, you will not only make your research sessions more inclusive, but also generally better and more comfortable for everyone. Given that roughly 20% of the people worldwide are neuroatypical, you might be losing a lot of potential by not addressing their preferences.
Sebastian, Head of Product Department
It was very interesting to see how broad the field of UX is and from how many different perspectives it can be analyzed. I see many parallels between the field of UX and Employer Branding, which also puts the issue of audience experience and well-thought-out communication at the center. In this context, consideration of neurodiversity is also the most justified and desirable – and it should find its established place when designing activities, both directed to the inside of the company and to its wider environment.
Alicja, Employer Branding Specialist
To find out the topics of the next meetings you should visit Tech3Camp website.
If you liked this coverage of the Tech3camp event, you might want to read also the summary of Tech3Camp#89.